capeandcowl | ☼ the first

[He makes his way to the door, and it should be clear by the stilted way he opens the door that Peter isn't the only one with reservations. Half-expecting that punch, he cocks an eyebrow in Peter's direction, trying to remain impassive.]

You look well. [If a dryer tone were possible, Adam would have it, looking Peter up and down appraisingly. Quite frankly, the other man looked like shit. Especially compared to when Adam had last seen him. But he clears his throat, in a more serious tone now before he really does get hit;] Shall we?

[ There's absolutely no way that Peter's willing to comment on how well he may or may not look. He knows that 'well' isn't an accurate description, having passed the end of his so-called-rope a number of months ago, just the tip of giving away all the things he doesn't want to say out loud.

Scooting aside to let Adam out of his apartment, Peter's already a step ahead, though he's still waiting for the other man. ] Yeah, I know a place near here.

[He follows swiftly, letting a momentary silence fall in case Peter has something to say before he begins his questions.]

[ Peter's too terrified to talk, that if he starts letting his anger take hold, he won't be able to shut himself off. So he doesn't say anything at all, focusing instead on leading them to some nondescript cafe. ]

[Adam doesn't say anything either, similarly frightened, and wanting to get in public before Peter does something Adam won't like. Had Peter killed him, after discovering his betrayal? Just as Hiro had. He sighed, ducking under the man's arm as they entered the small shop.]

You've been here two months?

[ If Peter knew that's what Adam was thinking, that would have been an easy enough answer to give. He couldn't even kill Sylar, how could he have ever killed Adam? But he's not thinking about that, instead staring up at the menu as if he doesn't already know what he wants. ]

Little over, yeah.

[He orders himself a cappuccino, looking to Peter as though he doesn't already know what's coming.]

And what do you think?

[ He gets what he always does, a large black coffee, expression remaining sternly neutral, though he wants to roll his eyes at the question. ]

About what part? If it's real? Or the kind of things that go on around here?

[He shrugs, paying the cashier without really looking.]

Which do you think is most relevant?

If it's not real, the rest of it doesn't really matter, does it? [ Peter glances towards Adam before he's off towards a secluded looking table. ]

How astute. [It's an offhand comment, not even mocking, slipping into the opposite chair.]

[ Peter just shrugs, staring at his coffee as it might provide the answers to how to deal with this situation. ] I've thought a lot about it.

Clearly. [He takes a sip of his still too-hot coffee, rocking back in his chair as though at ease. Truly he's anything but. Shaking his head, he regards Peter for long seconds without saying anything.]

The world has gone and made a cynic out of Peter Petrelli. I never thought I'd see the day.

[ And with that he lifts his face, expression easily on the end of furiously bitter before it backs off again and he's just left trying to not look miserable all over again, fidgeting absently with his cup. ]

Seeing as you helped with the process? I don't even know why you'd be surprised.

As much as I'd like to take responsibility, I highly doubt this was all my doing. [he takes another scalding sip, looking away just a moment, perhaps just enough to give himself away]

[ just staring at Adam now, trying to keep his expression blank while being all too aware that it's pointless to even try when Adam's around. ] Yeah, well- You'd be right.

You aren't going to tell me? [he asks, eyebrows climbing as he leans forward just an inch. He knows that Peter owes him nothing, especially if he knows everything, and yet he can't help but be curious. He wants to know what it was that so fractured Peter, and he wants to hear it from the man himself. But Adam wants a lot of things he's sure he'll never have.]

I haven't seen you for a year. What, do you want the entire list? They'll kick us out before I can finish. [ Rooted to his chair, he folds his arms across his chest almost protectively, as if it might actually keep Adam out of his head this time. He doesn't want to tell Adam, and yet he knows for some reason he will. He just has to figure out where to start. ]

And I saw you less than a day ago. [Adam counters, blinking innocently]

Where do you want me to start? The last time I saw you?

[He smiles softly, gently, leaning across the table now on his arms.]

That seems as logical a place as any.

[ Peter's not falling for it. He's not, and for the moment, he's holding onto his anger harder than anything. ] I destroyed the virus, and Hiro got you out of Primatech, I don't know where. I didn't wait for him to come back so I could find out.

Next day Nathan was gonna give a press conference to tell everyone about people like us, and my future self showed up, screwed things up. Nathan got shot, I ended up in Primatech stuck in someone else's body. That one took awhile to get out of, but- [ he needs a second to rub his face, he hasn't talked about this for awhile. ] I went to the future again. Saw something else that needed to be stopped.

[He nods, popping the lid off his coffee and blowing on it gently.]

What did you see?

[ Peter's staring out the nearest window, too agitated to look straight at Adam. ]

Primatech's- My dad's great idea to offer up synthetic abilities to everyone. People were being experimented on, put in camps.

Arthur. [that's real concern] I thought he died.

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